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Join us for food, discussion, and a documentary screening of“Biimadasahwin: Reclaiming Land Reclaiming Home.”

December 4, 2:30-4pm, 109 Atkinson, York University.

Biimadasahwin means “life” in Ojibway. It is the name given to a place and project led by Darlene Necan, elected spokesperson of off-reserve members of Ojibway Nation of Saugeen no.258. She began to make her courageous vision of reclaiming her ancestral Anishinabek territory a reality, by returning to live on her trapline.

In June 2013, CUPE 3903’s The First Nations Solidarity Working Group, supported a log cabin home build led by Darlene and other women who are rebuilding community power. The cabin sits on Darlene’s trapline and serves as a meeting place for community political organizing.

In August, Darlene and her organization, Northern Starlights Citizens of Saugeen, led the building of infrastructure for Biimadasahwin to be a gathering and teaching place for youth, community members and supporters.

On December 4, 2:30pm, 109 Atkinson, we will screen a short documentary which shares Darlene’s story and showcases the collective home building project, Saugeen land and people in Northwestern Ontario. Come learn about and support this inspiring project!

Support Six Nations land defender Theresa “Toad” Jamieson at the Cayuga courthouse on Wednesday November 27th at 10am.

At the last court date, Toad “read Deskaheh’s last speech in its entirety to the court. She spoke of the past and present strategies used by the Canadian government in attempting to assimilate and disorganize traditional societies and to annihilate entire nations and their relationship to their land. Her statement emphasized the injustice found in the imposition of colonial law against a people, a confederacy of original nations, living on their own land, and following their own system of laws – the Great Peace”. Read more: http://tworowtimes.com/news/local/toad-has-her-day-in-court/

On Wednesday Nov.27th, we will show support for and celebrate the strength of Toad and all other criminalized land defenders who only continue to fight. We will hear the final submissions to the court.

Toad has been defending Indigenous land rights and Kanonhstaton, the Six Nations Reclamation site, ever since the land near Caledonia, ON was reclaimed by Six Nations in February 2006. Toad is being dragged through the courts because of charges stemming from anti-Native rights activist Gary McHale’s provocations. (See below for more info).

Toad is defending herself in court, asserting that the Canadian justice system violates both the Two Row Wampum treaty and the rightful law – the Great Law of Peace – of the stolen land on which the courthouse stands.

Since 2006, hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone towards policing and court costs for McHale’s actions which result in criminalizing Indigenous women, such as Toad, for defending the land and responding to direct racism. The Two Row Society wants to call attention to the discrepancy between this approach and the complete lack of government resources dedicated to a national public inquiry into the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

As Toad fights for the land, she fights for all of us. Packing the court with supporters, sends a powerful message. Join us!

-The Two Row Society, First Nations Solidarity Working Group, The Two Row Society #FreeToad

· In reaction to the Six Nations reclamation of 2006, Gary McHale and his followers, under the name of Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality, set about a campaign against what they call “native lawlessness,” “land claim terrorism,” and “race-based policing”.

· Beginning in October 2006, McHale has been trying to force his way onto Kanonhstaton. On February 18, 2012, McHale succeeded in entering Kanonhstaton, with a small escort of OPP. Toad and several other Haudenosaunee land defenders were charged as a result of their anger at his racism and his trespassing on Kanonhstaton.

· In 2009, leaders of CANACE played leading roles in trying to establish a “Caledonia Militia” to stop land defenders.

· In 2012, several Six Nations land defenders have faced charges as a result of the actions of McHale and the Ontario Provincial Police.

Jon Garlow (publisher and owner of the Two Row Times) and Nahnda Garlow (renowned “Scone Dogs and Seed Beads” columnist of the Two Row Times), will speak on Indigenous resurgence and grassroots media, and their vision for the Two Row Times newspaper.

This event is anto learn about and discuss the new, weekly mass circulation newspaper coming out of Six Nations and covering content far beyond. It is working to bring respect for and renew relationships with the Two Row Wampum throughout the Dish with One Spoon Treaty Territory.

Whether you are curious or uninformed about the paper, interested in supporting or contributing to it, or just generally understand the importance of grassroots media – don’t miss this evening of exciting discussion. Let’s build media that speaks the voice of the people, together.

In the words of its publisher and owner, Jonathan Garlow, “the goal of the Two Row Times is to provide timely and relevant news and information to Native communities as well as to serve as a bridge between all nations by promoting and demonstrating the values of the Two Row Wampum.”

The Two Row Wampum – the original agreement between Onkwehon:we people and the new arrivals on this continent – is the guiding light for the paper. The Two Row Times pledges that our actions will be consistent with the principles of the Two Row Wampum and the Kaianerekowa – “the great peace” – a philosophical and constitutional framework that is the basis of the Onkwehon:we worldview and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Two Row Times provides a unique Onkwehon:we news source that can unify and uplift all people. We believe that a coming together of native and non-native people to express our common interests in healing the earth, honouring diversity and creating respectful and dignified conditions of life for all is the only way to ensure our continued survival as human beings.

The paper is circulated throughout the Dish with One Spoon, which covers a huge territory surrounding the Great Lakes region and encompasses much of Ontario, New York State, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. The paper currently has a distribution of 20,000, with a vision to grow in number and locations throughout the territory.

The Two Row Times exists because of the need to develop media institutions that can express the interests and experiences of Onkwehon:we people and promote unity with all who want to stop harming each other and to start healing our mother the earth. Communication is an indispensable part of this process. Unlike mainstream media, Onkwehon:we communication is based upon a practice of decolonization. It upholds the Onkwehon:we way of life, it educates the un-informed, and it contributes to the defence of our territories by drawing attention to the actions of Onkwehon:we peoples.

About

The fnswg is a body of CUPE 3903, TAs, contract faculty and graduate assistants at York University. The First Nations Solidarity Working Group mandate:

To educate and organize the CUPE 3903 membership about issues relating to matters of indigenous sovereignty and solidarity and to encourage membership participation both within the caucus and the local in general on this issue.

To work within and to help build rank and file networks of union activists working on issues of indigenous solidarity and solidarity.

To co-ordinate efforts in support of indigenous sovereignty with other local, regional and national (union and non-union) projects in support of indigenous sovereignty and solidarity.

To actively participate in supporting indigenous struggles such as (but not limited to) the Six Nations land reclamation.